Apparatus and method for production of fibers from glass, slag, and the like meltable materials



March 1941- F. ROSENGARTH EI'AL 4, 87

APPARATUS AND METHQD FOR PRODUCTION OF FIBERS FROM GLASS, SLAG, AND THE LIKE MELTABLE MATERIALS Filed NOV. 16, 1951 Patented Mar. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS AND METHOD For: monoc- TION or means FROM "GLASS, sLAe, AND THE LIKE MELTABLE MATERIALS Application 8 Claims.

' The production of fibers or threads from molten glass, so-called glass silk, is hitherto performed by means of spinningmachines on which ,the threads are drawn'from prepared. glass rods or from the molten mass'through nozzles, while in the manufacture of slag. wool thethreads are I produced by the aid of steam or air blowers.

It is the object of the invention to provide a novel method and device for making fibers or threads of the kind stated. According to this invention, the hot liquid glass 'or slag mass is flown in a continuous and uniform thin stream onto a rapidly rotating body, such as a, disc of suitable material. The liquid mass is thrown off the periphery of the disc by the centrifugal force and simultaneously formed into thin threads the threads of the normal or desired thickness.

For facilitating the production of the fibers and aiding them in sinking down after their formation, a circular current of air under pressure is blown around the disc toward the discharge end of the device, this air current exerting a downward pressure on the fibers thrown off the disc so that they can be readily carried off.

In order to allow of the invention to be more clearly understood, an embodiment of a device for carrying-the invention into effect is shown on the accompanying drawing in a sectional elevation.

i designates a furnace for melting the working material, such as glassor slag, the furnace being heated by burners 2. 3 is an opening for filling in fresh material and 3' is a cover forthe said opening. 4 designates the outlet of the furnace with which, cooperates a plug 5 which is adapted to be raised and lowered for regulating the quantity of material discharged through the outlet. The outlet mouth 4 is surrounded by a rim 6. The annular space between the mouth 4 and rim 6 is designed to be heated by gas flames or the like for regulating the temperature of the glass or slag discharged through the mouth. The space below the outlet 4 is enclosed by annular guard walls 1 and 8 Which reduce the outward radiation and avoid premature cooling of the down flowing mass. A narrow gap 9 is left between the two walls 7 and 8. Arranged below November is, 1931, Serial No. 575,358 Germany November 29, 1930 the outlet 4 at a predetermined distance therefrom is a centrifuging disc ID. This disc consists of a circular plate ll' of a suitable, preferably refractory material and of a metal ring .or casing I2 holding and'encircling the plate II in such a manner'as to prevent breaking of the latter due to the high number of revolutions. The disc in is mounted on a shaft l3 which has the required high speed imparted to it from an electromotor or other source of power through a pulley l4 and belt i5 or any other suitable drive. The upper edge of the wall 8 lies substantially on the same level as the top surface of the centrifuging disc I 0, so that the glass or slag particles which are too heavy will be thrown over and beyond the said edge into the gap 9. They are thus separated from the fibers or threads which have the prescribed weight. The particles entering the gap 9 fall into a collecting gutter Hi from which they can be returned to the melting furnace I.

The liquid mass flowing out of the mouth 4 is thrown off the disc in horizontal direction forming a kind of cloud of thin threads which sinks down between the disc l0 and the guard wall 8. This sinking mass constantly increased by the succeeding fresh threads surrounds the shaft I3 as a jacket-like envelope which deposits on an inclined bottom plate IL The material is projected from the disc at points angularly spaced around the axis of rotation of the disc and during the formation of the fibers one end of each fiber is anchored to the disc.

The fibrous envelope is continuously or intermittently severed by means of cutting shears l8, which may be operated mechanically, and then glides down over the inclined bottom II to a winding device, not shown. The fibrous web produced by the cutting corresponds in width to the circumference of the fibrous Jacket formed about the disc l0 and shaft l3.

Owing to their low weight, the fine fibers thrown off the disc have a comparatively low velocity of fall. Moreover, the high temperature prevailing near the disc gives the light fibers the tendency of flying upwards. This slow sinking of the fibers or their tendency to rise may become a hindrance to the proper carrying oif of the fibers and may even affect more or less the operation of production and the quality of the product. To avoid this evil, a circular current of air is blown about the disc towards the discharge end of the device. According to the embodiment illustrated in the drawing, this air current is produced by an annular nozzle is which is formed by the rim 6 or separately therefrom and to which air under pressure is supplied through a pipe 20. The, air current emitted by the nozzle I9 urges the fibers thrown off the disc I 0 continuously downwards so as to make the path free for the succeeding fresh fibers. In this way, the continuous production of fibers can take place unhinderedly and the-carrying off of the resulting product is greatly aided. Instead of air there may also be used any other suitable gaseous medium.

The thickness of the fibers can be regulated in various ways, such as by working with more or less high temperatures of the liquid mass, by changin the distance between the disc Ill and the mouth 4 or by controlling the quantity of liquid mass discharged through the outlet 4.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A device for producing fibers from molten glass, slag and the like meltable material, comprising a receptacle for molten material, an outlet in the receptacle wherethrough to discharge a stream of molten material, a rotatable solid body whereon to deliver the stream of molten material, means for imparting a high rotary speed to the said body, and means for directing a circular downward current of air around said body substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the same. I

2. A device for producing fibers from molten glass, slag and the like material, comprising a melting furnace for the material, an outlet in the bottom of the furnace wherethrough to discharge a continuous thin stream of molten mate-- rial, a circular disc at a distance below this outlet whereon to deliver the stream of molten material, an annular air nozzle around the said outlet for directing a circular current of air parallel to the stream of molten material in spaced relation thereto and past the circumference of the said disc, and means for imparting a high rotary speed to the disc.

3. A device for producing fibers from molten glass, slag and the like meltable material, comprising a melting furnace for the material, an outlet in the bottom of the furnace wherethrough to discharge a continuous thin stream of molten material, a horizontally disposed circular disc below this outlet whereon to deliver the stream of molten material, means for imparting a high rotary speed to the disc, guard walls about the path of the stream and the. rotating disc in spaced relation thereto, an annular gap in the guard walls at substantially the same level as the top surface of the rotating disc, and means for cutting the fibers as they sink down from the disc about the same in the space defined by the guard walls.

4. A device for producing fibers from molten glass, slag and the like meltable material, comprising a melting furnace for the material, an 5 outlet in the bottom of the'furnace wherethrough to discharge a continuous thin stream of molten material, a horizontally disposed circular disc below this outlet whereon to deliver the stream of molten material, means for imparting a high rotary speed to the disc, guard walls about the path of the stream and the rotating disc in spaced relation thereto, an annular gap in the guard walls at substantially the same level as the top surface cf the rotating disc, an annular 15 air nozzle above the disc opening downwardly for directing a current of air around the disc substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the same, and means for cutting the fibers as they move downwardly away from the disc.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination with means for delivering a down wardly flowing stream of. molten material, of a' disc mounted for rotation in a horizontal plane in a heated zone in the path of said stream, and means for rotating said disc at a speed sufiiciently great to project the molten material therefrom in fiber form, and means for directing a current of air downwardly around'the disc.

6. In an apparatus of the character described,. the combination'with means for-projecting horizontally from a center fibers of vitreous material, and means fordirecting a current of air downwardly around such center and across the path of the fibers. 35

7. The hereinbefore described process of producing fibers from molten glass or similar material which comprises projecting the material in the form of fibers from the periphery of a hori-. zontally rotating disc and collecting and compacting the fibers by projecting across the path of the fibers a downward current of air.

8. The hereinbefore described method of producing fibers from a material having no definite melting point but having a definite range of 45 softening, which comprises flowing a stream of molten glass or slag, onto a member rotating horizontally, projecting the material from the member and thereby forming fibers therefrom anchored to the member at points angularly spaced around the axis of rotation of the memher by the centrifugal force due to the rotation of the member, and maintaining the material while being projected at a temperature sufiiciently high to give the material a viscosity suitable for the formation of the fibers from the projected material under the forces acting thereon.

FRIEDRICH ROSENGARTHF FRITZ HAGER. 60 

